The disclosed embodiments present a system, method, and computer program product for certifying a timestamp generated by a data processing system. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a request to certify a timestamp generated by a trusted data processing system, analyzing historical data related to a system time of the data processing system, and certifying the timestamp in response to determining that the historical data indicates a trustworthy system time of the data processing system when the timestamp was generated.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer implemented method comprising: receiving a request to certify a timestamp, the timestamp generated by a trusted data processing system; responsive to the request, analyzing historical data related to a system time of the data processing system; and certifying the timestamp in response to determining that the historical data indicates a trustworthy system time of the data processing system when the timestamp was generated and determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising certifying the timestamp in response to determining that a drift range of a system time of the data processing system was within a criteria at the time the timestamp was generated.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising certifying the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurring subsequent to a time synchronization event of the data processing system to a trusted time.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the historical data comprises determining when a time synchronization event to a trusted time last occurred for the data processing system prior to the timestamp generation.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 4 , wherein analyzing the historical data comprises determining whether a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurred subsequent to the time synchronization event.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the historical data comprises determining a maximum drift range of the system time for the data processing system relative to a trusted time.
7. A system comprising: a data bus system; memory coupled to the data bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code; and a processing unit coupled to the data bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to: responsive to a request to certify a timestamp, the timestamp generated by a trusted data processing system, analyze historical data related to a system time of the data processing system; and certify the timestamp in response to determining that the historical data indicates a trustworthy system time of the data processing system when the timestamp was generated and determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit further executes computer usable program code to certify the timestamp in response to determining that a drift range of a system time of the data processing system was within a criteria at the time the timestamp was generated.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit further executes computer usable program code to certify the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurring subsequent to a time synchronization event of the data processing system to a trusted time.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit further executes computer usable program code to determine when a time synchronization event to a trusted time last occurred for the data processing system prior to the timestamp generation.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processing unit further executes computer usable program code to determine whether a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurred subsequent to the time synchronization event.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing unit further executes computer usable program code to determine a maximum drift range for the system time of the data processing system relative to a trusted time.
13. A computer program product comprising: a computer usable storage medium including computer usable program code executable by a computer for certifying a timestamp of a trusted data processing system, the computer program product comprising computer usable program code for: responsive to a request to certify a timestamp, the timestamp generated by a trusted data processing system, analyzing historical data related to a system time of the data processing system; and certifying the timestamp in response to determining that the historical data indicates a trustworthy system time of the data processing system when the timestamp was generated and determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer usable medium includes computer usable program code for certifying the timestamp in response to determining that a drift range of a system time of the data processing system was within a criteria at the time the timestamp was generated.
15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer usable medium includes computer usable program code for certifying the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurring subsequent to a time synchronization event of the data processing system to a trusted time.
16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer usable medium includes computer usable program code for determining when a time synchronization event to a trusted time last occurred for the data processing system prior to the timestamp generation.
17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the computer usable medium includes computer usable program code for determining whether a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurred subsequent to the time synchronization event.
18. A computer implemented method comprising: receiving from a first data processing system a request to certify a timestamp generated by a second data processing system; responsive to the request, analyzing historical data related to a system time of the second data processing system; and certifying the timestamp in response to determining that the historical data indicates a trustworthy system time of the second data processing system when the timestamp was generated.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, responsive to the request, determining the second data processing system that generated the timestamp.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising certifying the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the second data processing system.
21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising certifying the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the second data processing system occurring subsequent to a time synchronization event of the second data processing system to a trusted time.
22. A computer implemented method comprising: receiving a request to certify a timestamp, the timestamp generated by a data processing system; responsive to the request, analyzing historical log data related to a system time of the data processing system; and certifying the timestamp in response to determining that the historical log data contains a command entry indicating retrieval of a system time corresponding to a time the timestamp was generated.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising certifying the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system.
24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising certifying the timestamp in response to determining an absence of a user driven change to the system time of the data processing system occurring subsequent to a time synchronization event of the data processing system to a trusted time.
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February 27, 2009
February 21, 2012
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